Scientific research regarding the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is partly focused on possible human-to-animal transmissions. In Scotland, scientists have identified two cases of cats being infected by their owners.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold more than a year ago, there has been a great deal of interest in science about the origin of the coronavirus. Many researchers believed that it was a animal-to-human transmission (zoonosis). Moreover, different animals have been mentioned such as the pangolin, the mink or the bat. But what about human-to-animal transmissions? In their study published in the journal Veterinary Record on April 22, 2021, researchers from the University of Glasgow (Scotland) looked at cats. They identified two cases of infection in cats of different breeds and not living in the same household. They had mild to severe breathing problems.
The fact is that in both cases, the owners had developed symptoms of the coronavirus before their animals themselves became ill. According to Margaret Hosie, lead author of the study, these cases show the importance of improving our understanding of animal infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Additionally, animal testing is infrequent, so many cases of transmission may have gone undetected.
The first case involved a Ragdoll kitten four month old female. At the end of March 2020, his owner reportedly developed symptoms strongly resembling those resulting from a coronavirus infection. However, the latter had not undergone any screening test. The feline then had breathing difficulties and was taken to a veterinarian. Unfortunately, the condition of the animal was increasingly serious, requiring its euthanasia. The vet took samples after the cat died and identified viral pneumonia as well as traces of coronavirus infection.
The second case was that of a six-year-old Siamese female. She lived in a home where one of the human inhabitants had tested positive for coronavirus. Nevertheless, the feline seems to have contracted a mild form of the disease . The symptoms (a runny nose and conjunctivitis) remained mild. Afterwards, a retrospective study of swabs confirmed the infection.
At this time, transmission of the virus from animals to humans does not represent a significant risk for public health. However, scientists believe that animals may constitute a potential "viral reservoir" with continued transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Scientists also indicate that when human cases actually decrease, this viral reservoir could be a source of reintroduction of the coronavirus in humans.
